The present disclosure relates to beehive treatment systems and more particularly to a unique oxalic acid vaporization technique to treat honey bee colonies against the adverse effects of infestation by the Varroa Mite pest. The Varroa Mite has been identified as the most harmful pest impacting Western honey bees, Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae). The Varroa destructor species is responsible for the vast majority of the damage attributed to mites. Oxalic acid vaporization has been proven to combat mite reproduction in the honey bee colony at 99.9 percent effectiveness with no evidence of the mite developing treatment resistance over the last 30 years.
It is generally accepted that treatment of beehives using oxalic acid vaporization is safe and effective when properly implemented; however, proper treatment of hives using vaporization is difficult to achieve using current methodologies. An optimized treatment requires both a controlled sublimation of oxalic acid crystals and thorough distribution of the resulting vaporized oxalic acid within the hive enclosure. Furthermore, oxalic acid vapor is potentially hazardous to beekeepers if improperly handled. New treatment systems capable of administering oxalic acid in a safe and controlled manner would be of benefit to many.